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EDITORS’ NOTES

Hælos are unafraid of epic gestures: The very first vocal on the London trio's debut LP is a chanted three-part harmony that quickly ramps up to a soaring falsetto. That track, “Pray,” sports equally uplifting progressive house breakbeats, while “Earth Not Above” darkly glistens and surges to a trip-hop shuffle and "Separate Lives" throbs atop rainy-day drum 'n' bass skitter. The sonic drama is met by lyrics that splice the xx's romanticism with gospel's uplift, but this record owes its oomph to the power of '90s electronic music reimagined. Full Circle indeed.

EDITORS’ NOTES

Hælos are unafraid of epic gestures: The very first vocal on the London trio's debut LP is a chanted three-part harmony that quickly ramps up to a soaring falsetto. That track, “Pray,” sports equally uplifting progressive house breakbeats, while “Earth Not Above” darkly glistens and surges to a trip-hop shuffle and "Separate Lives" throbs atop rainy-day drum 'n' bass skitter. The sonic drama is met by lyrics that splice the xx's romanticism with gospel's uplift, but this record owes its oomph to the power of '90s electronic music reimagined. Full Circle indeed.

TITLE

TIME

Intro/Spectrum

1:30

Pray

3:40

Dust

4:38

Full Circle

5:03

Earth Not Above

4:35

Oracle

5:27

Alone

4:33

Separate Lives

4:47

Sacred

4:29

Cloud Nine

5:39

Pale

4:28

11 Songs, 48 Minutes

Released: Mar 18, 2016

℗ 2016 Matador

Ratings and Reviews

4.8 out of 5

29 Ratings

29 Ratings

tlariviere
02/17/2016

Remarkable!

Should have just gone ahead and purchased entire album. This is the first album I've come across after hours and hours of listening that just had a melodic flow and character. Very emotional. I'm loving it!!

tlariviere
02/17/2016

Remarkable!

Should have just gone ahead and purchased entire album. This is the first album I've come across after hours and hours of listening that just had a melodic flow and character. Very emotional. I'm loving it!!

Mike dystrick-Martinez
03/21/2016

Life’s Soundtrack

If the universe had its own soundtrack, this would probably be the closest album to represent its wondrous, and deepest sounds. Each track is pieced together with such precision, that it feels like the almighty being himself orchestrated this masterpiece. Each track offers something special and unique, and is both dark and light at the same time. The trio of singers (a female and two male voices), all sync up perfectly in each track, sometimes taking a lead, but mostly singing in harmony, beautifully, and perfectly on point. Well done humans.

Mike dystrick-Martinez
03/21/2016

Life’s Soundtrack

If the universe had its own soundtrack, this would probably be the closest album to represent its wondrous, and deepest sounds. Each track is pieced together with such precision, that it feels like the almighty being himself orchestrated this masterpiece. Each track offers something special and unique, and is both dark and light at the same time. The trio of singers (a female and two male voices), all sync up perfectly in each track, sometimes taking a lead, but mostly singing in harmony, beautifully, and perfectly on point. Well done humans.

Jaime Nordstrom
03/13/2018

Love it

so many ❤️❤️❤️s. Great album.

Jaime Nordstrom
03/13/2018

Love it

so many ❤️❤️❤️s. Great album.

About Hælos

Hælos got their start shrouded in mystery, but it wasn't intentional, they just didn't have a press photo. The U.K. trio -- Arthur Delaney, Lotti Benardout, and Dom Goldsmith -- had just released their first video for "Dust" in late 2014 without fanfare or background information, catching the attention of curious listeners. The angelic combination of male-female vocal interplay and atmospheric soundscapes created an expansive and cinematic feel, at once hypnotizing and seductive, which the band dubbed "dark euphoria." They followed "Dust" with "Pray" (channeling some of Moby's most uplifting tunes) and "Earth Not Above" in 2015, updating the coolness of '90s trip-hop with a modern pulse, as if the xx had a little more fire in their blood, Portishead lightened up a bit, or Massive Attack were a little friendlier. They signed with Matador Records in March 2015 and played a number of high-profile industry shows throughout the year before releasing their debut EP, Earth Not Above, which included the previously released title track and three new songs. A year later, they released their first LP Full Circle. ~ Neil Z. Yeung